Chapter 413 A Loving Couple (Second Update)
A while ago, Princess Ning returned to her parents' home and stayed there to accompany her seriously ill mother until her mother's condition improved before returning to the palace.
That's why Gu Jiao's trip to the mansion to examine her pulse was delayed.
Gu Jiao was unaware that Princess Ning had returned; Princess Rui was the first to know, and she hurriedly ordered a carriage to be prepared and went to Princess Ning's residence.
"Sister-in-law!"
Princess Ning's carriage happened to stop at the gate of the mansion. Just as she was about to get in, she heard Princess Rui's joyful voice.
Princess Ning withdrew her foot from the stool, turned to look at Princess Rui who was getting off another carriage, and couldn't help but chuckle, "Slow down, who walks so fast with such a big belly?"
Princess Rui was practically running.
She approached Princess Ning, smiled, and said, "Auntie, are you feeling better?"
"Yes, much better." Princess Ning nodded with a smile. "Why are you out here instead of resting at home while you're pregnant?"
Princess Rui said, "I heard that my sister-in-law has returned to the manor, so I came here to see her. I've been idle at home for the past two months, so I've learned a little cooking. These are dried apricots that I made myself. Please don't mind them, sister-in-law."
As soon as she finished speaking, Xu, the female official behind her, handed her a ceramic jar containing dried apricots.
The lady-in-waiting beside Princess Ning reached out and took it.
Princess Ning thanked her, saying, "You're so kind. I was just about to go to the palace to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager and Consort Zhuang. Would you like to come along?"
Princess Rui smiled and said, "That's exactly what I was thinking too!"
Princess Ning's gaze swept over her prominently protruding belly, and she hesitated for a moment: "However, your health..."
Princess Rui waved her hand and said, "It's alright! I can ride in the carriage!"
A hint of envy flashed in Princess Ning's eyes as she took her hand and said, "Alright, come on up."
The two boarded Princess Ning's carriage.
The group quickly arrived at the palace. Princess Ning took meticulous care of Princess Rui, even more so than Princess Rui herself.
Princess Rui wanted to say there was no need to be so nervous, that her pregnancy was practically nonexistent, but when she thought of Princess Ning's three miscarriages, she kept her mouth shut.
She cooperated by acting much more cautious than usual, and slowed her pace.
"Is pregnancy tough?" Princess Ning chatted with her on the way to Kunning Palace.
Princess Rui's eyes flickered: "Uh...it's tough. I can't sleep at night, and my calves cramp up."
The old woman always asked her that question, but she had never actually asked it.
If I had to describe the hardship, it would probably be the constant need to use the restroom.
And sure enough, she's getting a little... you know.
"What's wrong?" Princess Ning asked, looking at Princess Rui's face, which was scrunched up.
Princess Rui said awkwardly, "I...I need to urinate."
Princess Ning: "There's a restroom over there. I'll go with you."
Princess Rui: "No need, no need, I'll go myself."
"I'm worried about leaving you alone." Princess Ning insisted on escorting Princess Rui to the vicinity of the urinal, and Princess Rui had no choice but to comply.
When the two arrived outside the latrine, they never expected to run into the Crown Princess coming out of it.
The three of them paused for a moment.
The Crown Princess's status was higher than that of the other princesses, but she still politely addressed Princess Ning as "elder sister-in-law."
Princess Rui rolled her eyes.
She disliked Wen Linlang and couldn't be bothered with any formalities.
Especially after she caught Wen Linlang entangled with another man, she disliked Wen Linlang even more.
Everyone knows that Prince Ning and the Crown Prince are at odds, and Princess Ning has obviously kept a certain distance from the Crown Princess, but they still maintain a semblance of civility.
She nodded slightly to the Crown Princess in greeting.
The Crown Princess said, "I have other matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now. Farewell, elder sister-in-law; farewell, younger sister-in-law."
Princess Ning: "Farewell."
Princess Rui responded with an eye roll.
After the Crown Princess left, Princess Ning said to Princess Rui, "Alright, you may go now."
"Hmm." Princess Rui went to the latrine.
That's the downside of pregnancy; it makes you need to go to the toilet so often. After leaving the latrine, Princess Rui was helped by servants to wash her hands and apply hand cream before heading to Empress Xiao's Kunning Palace with Princess Ning.
They weren't Empress Xiao's biological daughters-in-law, so after exchanging pleasantries and fulfilling the proper etiquette, they left Kunning Palace.
Afterwards, the two went to Consort Zhuang's Yongshou Palace. This time, they stayed for a longer time. Consort Zhuang was also looking forward to the baby in Princess Rui's womb, after all, it was someone from her own lineage. With the Prince Rui and his wife in the limelight, Prince Ning was also greatly strengthened.
"We must have a son," Consort Zhuang said, holding Princess Rui's hand.
Princess Rui chuckled awkwardly, "That's not something I can decide."
Consort Zhuang thought for a moment and asked, "Do you prefer sour or spicy food?"
Princess Rui honestly replied, "I like them all. Sometimes I want spicy food, sometimes I want sour food, and sometimes I want sweet food."
Princess Ning looked somewhat dazed.
Consort Zhuang, mindful of her daughter-in-law's feelings, did not say anything more about the child. She summoned her personal nanny and said, "Go and ask where Prince Ning and Prince Rui are. If they are in the palace, invite them to dine at Yongshou Palace and also invite Consort Yu over."
Consort Yu, the mother of the Third Prince.
After the princes were separated into their own residences, they could no longer freely enter and leave the palace as before. However, given Consort Zhuang's rank, it was still not difficult for her to see her son.
Before long, Prince Ning and Prince Rui arrived from the Golden Palace.
"Your Highness." Princess Ning bowed to Prince Ning.
Prince Ning hurried over to support her, holding her hand with eyes full of tenderness: "You don't need to be so reserved here with your mother, just like you are at home."
Princess Ning smiled and said, "Yes."
Soon, Consort Yu arrived, and Consort Zhuang hurriedly had the palace servants prepare a meal.
Consort Zhuang and Consort Yu sat together, with two couples sitting on either side of them.
The Prince of Ning and his wife were both elegant and graceful, and treated each other with the utmost respect.
On the surface, Prince Rui and his wife appeared very proper, but in private, Prince Rui would rub his leg against his wife's leg.
Princess Rui glared at him and said, "Eat your food!"
Prince Rui casually peeled a shrimp for his wife and placed it in her bowl before realizing that everyone's eyes were on him.
He was startled, almost forgetting that this was the palace, not his own residence, where he had to follow the rules.
The couple couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
Prince Ning smiled gently and warmly: "The shrimp in Mother's palace is quite good." He also peeled one for Princess Ning, "Suxin, please have some too."
Su Xin was the nickname given to Princess Ning by Prince Ning after their marriage.
Princess Ning smiled gently: "Thank you, Your Highness."
...
After lunch, Consort Zhuang went to rest. The group left Yongshou Palace, Consort Yu returned to her own palace, and the four of them walked out of the palace together.
"Be careful." As they passed under a large tree, Prince Ning shielded Princess Ning's head with his hand.
When he took his hand down, the others noticed that there was a worm on the back of his hand.
Princess Rui didn't know the name of this tree; she only often saw silkworms hanging under it.
There was a worm hanging in front of her; if Prince Ning hadn't shouted, she would have bumped into it.
Princess Rui exclaimed, "My elder brother is so thoughtful!"
Prince Rui muttered, "I'm very meticulous too!"
Princess Rui said resentfully, "Oh, how come Your Highness didn't notice the worm in front of me?"
Prince Rui scratched his head: "That was..."
"What is it?" Princess Rui asked, looking at him.
"I was just about to get rid of it for you!" Prince Rui firmly refused to admit that he hadn't noticed the little thing!
Princess Rui snorted, "You're just not as considerate and meticulous as my elder brother!"
Prince Rui couldn't refute this. His eldest brother was the most considerate of all the princes. He was considerate to his sister-in-law, to his younger brothers, and even to the Crown Prince, his mortal enemy, there was nothing wrong with him.
A pregnant woman's emotions can sometimes come on inexplicably. One second, Princess Rui was arguing with Prince Rui, and the next second she became sad: "Tell me... if this child can't be saved... will you still treat me the same way my elder brother treats my elder sister-in-law?"
Prince Rui glared at her and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? How can the child be lost? Don't jinx it! My son is perfectly fine!"
Princess Rui sighed, "Isn't this just a hypothetical situation? I just feel that my elder brother is really good to my sister-in-law."
Even the Prince of Rui could not refute this statement.
Prince Ning and Princess Ning knew each other when they were young. They were not childhood sweethearts, but their marriage was not arranged either.
After their marriage, the two lived in harmony. Their only regret was Princess Ning's infertility. Fortunately, Prince Ning never neglected her because she could not have children, and he always spoke highly of her in front of Consort Zhuang.
Consort Zhuang was not an easy person to get along with, and the harmonious relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was largely due to Prince Ning's efforts.
This is a man who would never wrong his wife.
Princess Rui pinched the hem of Prince Rui's clothes and said coquettishly, "Promise me that you will treat me the same way that your elder brother treats your elder sister-in-law, and that you will be this good to me for the rest of your life."
(End of this chapter)
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